Huayi Festival' 08
Watched two theatrical performances this Huayi Festival.
'What is Man?' and 'Like Shadows'
'What is Man?', directed by Edward Lam (Madame Bovary is Me, What is Fantasy?) is an ensemble piece that deals with the very characteristics and psyche that define man. This is the second time that I have watched it, the first time was in Taiwan.
The second time I watched it, I discovered the flaws of the script and direction. Interestingly, it was still considered a multi-layered examination of Man as it was split into four different layers, the observer (director in audition), the characters in the audition, the characters that the auditionees play and meaning behind the narrative arc.
'Like Shadows', directed and written by Stan Lai (Sand and a Distant Star, Secret Love in Beach Blossom Land) was at best, so-so. The tableaux constructed was hauntingly beautiful, but the narrative arc stubbornly refused to move past its first two layers into the promising material that it attempted to discuss.
Fortunately, I went in refusing to believe in reputations and I didn't come out too disappointed, unlike certain Singaporeans who bombarded the comtemporary master of theatre tactlessly in the post show talk.
Shanghai Nights produced by our very own local theatre company Toy Factory, written and directed by Goh Boon Teck (Titoudao, Longhouse) was just not worth watching. So I gave it a miss.
Well, but then, this is my own opinion.
Haha
'What is Man?' and 'Like Shadows'
'What is Man?', directed by Edward Lam (Madame Bovary is Me, What is Fantasy?) is an ensemble piece that deals with the very characteristics and psyche that define man. This is the second time that I have watched it, the first time was in Taiwan.
The second time I watched it, I discovered the flaws of the script and direction. Interestingly, it was still considered a multi-layered examination of Man as it was split into four different layers, the observer (director in audition), the characters in the audition, the characters that the auditionees play and meaning behind the narrative arc.
'Like Shadows', directed and written by Stan Lai (Sand and a Distant Star, Secret Love in Beach Blossom Land) was at best, so-so. The tableaux constructed was hauntingly beautiful, but the narrative arc stubbornly refused to move past its first two layers into the promising material that it attempted to discuss.
Fortunately, I went in refusing to believe in reputations and I didn't come out too disappointed, unlike certain Singaporeans who bombarded the comtemporary master of theatre tactlessly in the post show talk.
Shanghai Nights produced by our very own local theatre company Toy Factory, written and directed by Goh Boon Teck (Titoudao, Longhouse) was just not worth watching. So I gave it a miss.
Well, but then, this is my own opinion.
Haha
Labels: Theatre Review
posted by Kian Tong at 2:18 AM
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